Reference

Matcha Glossary

Definitions for the terminology you will encounter when reading about, buying, or preparing Japanese matcha.

10 terms

A

Astringency: Astringency is the drying, mouth-puckering sensation that can follow a sip of tea. More →

C

Chasen: A chasen is the bamboo whisk used to disperse matcha and build foam. More →
Chawan: A chawan is the tea bowl used for preparing and drinking matcha. More →

F

First Harvest: First harvest usually refers to the earliest spring leaf material used for a tea. More →

K

Koicha: Koicha is thick tea, made with much more matcha and far less water than ordinary bowls. More →

S

Shade-Grown: Shade-grown means the tea plants were covered before harvest to reduce sunlight exposure. More →
Stone-milled: Stone-milled means the tencha was ground slowly with traditional granite mills rather than faster industrial equipment. More →

T

Tencha: Tencha is the shaded tea leaf material that gets ground into matcha. More →

U

Umami: Umami is the savory, brothy depth that makes good matcha feel satisfying rather than simply grassy. More →
Usucha: Usucha is thin tea, the standard whisked way most people drink matcha. More →

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